The Never Known
by Jacobey M. Thompson
Summary: A short story of the short lived life of two star crossed lovers. An almost zombie version of "Romeo and Juliet".


_**The Never known**_

_**Matthew Johnson**_

The sky was turning black with the storm clouds; I was beginning to worry about what the weather was going to do, whether it was going to rain as hard as possible or if it was going to stay calm. I stared at the clouds as they crept towards the house. If it did rain that would mean that they would stay closer to the awnings of buildings, not come out as much.

"Looks like rain," I said to the other one in the house with me, "It's a God send."

"Yes, it is, maybe we can get some sleep and not have to worry about guard duty." The woman's voice was as smooth as silk.

"Well," I said, "Not entirely forget."

"Why couldn't we?"

"Because, even though it rains doesn't mean that they will STOP coming it just means that they will come less. They will stick more to awnings, but they will come."

She stared at me for a few moments before speaking again, "Who knew that the movies wouldn't prepare us for the real thing?"

"Yeah," I said, "Stay here, I need to run out for some supplies.

"So, just like that you are going to leave me here all alone to fend for myself?" She looked a little angry.

I smiled, "Yes, but I will be back before you know it. In the events that I am not back within the hour assume one of two things, either I'm dead, or I left you here to die."

"Wow, thanks for the support," She said smiling back at me, her beautiful black hair swinging into her glistening brown eyes.

I walked back over to her and said, "You're welcome. I love you." And I kissed her on the lips.

I tried to pull away, but she clung to me like a bear cub to its mother.

"I'll be back, I promise." I could feel my face try to smile, but I knew nothing was happening. The truth was, I knew that I probably wouldn't be back.

I saw a tear slide slowly down her face as she tried to assure herself that I **would** be fine.

"Okay," She said slowly, and unconvincing as she moved my red hair from out of my green eyes, "I love you, Eli."

"I love you too, Heather, be safe." I pulled away, grabbed the machine gun leaning up against the wall and walked out the door.

I went to the convenience store down the street, shooting at the creatures as the slowly limped toward me, their skin crumbling and falling off of their bodies.

The oil dumps that had happened all over the world had created these zombies, but they were not the ones like you see in the movies, slow, somewhat smart, no these moved like normal humans did, but just slightly slower. If you were not careful you would die in an instant.

I could see the small white building coming into view over the next hill. I began to slow down as I saw it, but only into a slight jog. As more and more of the building came into view I saw more and more zombies creeping around it. I quickly pulled out the machine gun that had been hanging from my side for the past hundred feet and began to shot a storm of bullets at the creatures that began to turn to me.

Soon the magazine ran out of bullets, so I reloaded, pulled out my pistol and shot each zombie, one by one since there were so little now.

As soon as the last zombie dropped I put the gun in its hilt and ran into the store, grabbed a few things such as: nonperishable foods, a can of gas for a camping stove, and a few snacks.

I ran all the way back to the house, and as I saw the house I could tell that something was wrong. I felt start raining as I realized that the door had been forced open by something, someone, trying to get something inside.

I ran to the open door to find that there was nothing inside, but I listened hard, and heard a loud thud come from upstairs. I bolted up and found a zombie lying halfway on the stairwell and halfway off. Cautiously I grabbed my gun from its place at my side and began to investigate. I checked three rooms before a noise, much like a small squeak, rang from the last room. The white door was closed, but knowing something was inside, and hoping that it might have been Heather, I slowly crept inside.

As the door swung open it revealed more and more of the room and in one corner was Heather. I dropped the machine gun from my hands to the floor and ran to her.

"Eli!" She yelled with tears in her voice, "I'm so sorry!"

"Why? What happened?" I asked, concerned now.

"It came out of nowhere, I wasn't ready, I got up here, but-" She stopped suddenly.

"But what?"

She pulled up her shirt slightly to reveal a chunk of her flesh missing, bleeding profusely.

"You were bit…." I said slowly, sadness surrounding me.

She nodded, beginning to cry again, "Just do it," She said quietly, "Get it over with, before it's too late."

I nodded, now crying more than I had been, "I love you."

"I love you too, Eli."

"I'm sorry." I said pulling the gun, putting my forehead to hers, and then putting the gun to her temple.

"I know." She said, whimpering now, her voice shaky, tears pouring out of her eyes.

"I'm right behind you." I said pulling the trigger.

I sat back and watched her body slide to the floor, slumping over, cold and dead. After a few minutes, and after finishing this story for whomever to read, I sat next to heathers dead body, pulled her up and rested her against me, put the gun to my head and pulled the trigger, ending the pain and worry. I never had to deal with it again. I did this so I could be with the one I loved. She was my best decision, and now I could be with her.


End file.
